


Who We Were Before

by TheArtArmature



Series: Who We Could Have Been [1]
Category: Bloodborne (Video Game)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-29
Updated: 2017-06-29
Packaged: 2018-11-21 05:03:02
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 10
Words: 10,025
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11350422
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheArtArmature/pseuds/TheArtArmature
Summary: What if the Good Hunter had reached Yharnam before the night of the hunt began? What if they had come to meet all of these wonderful people, befriended them, and loved them before everything fell into pieces? These are the memories of what could have been. Of who we were before.





	1. Prologue

_“You were born with nothing, but maybe it is not the end for you. There is a city, far away from here, where you may find your skills to be useful. In the city of blood, Yharnam.”_

I held the letter tight in her hands, re-reading it for what it would have been the 18th. Waste of skin. Talentless. You are nothing. You should have never been born. These words were repeated to me as far as I could remember. I was born with nothing. An orphan as long as I could remember, a miracle to have survived through my infancy, and a mistake that should have never been born. Yet I survived, I persevered, I lived. And now, leaving the only place I had ever known, I traveled to Yharnam. I had heard much about this city. About its healing blood, its hunters, and of course, its beasts. Yet how with the danger there also came the opportunity that I would not be given anywhere else. Here I could have a new start. No one would deny me because of my heritage. No one would know of my past, or of my flaws. I would start anew, and maybe, just maybe, form a new life to finally be proud of.

“We’re here.” The old man huffed loudly, knocking onto the wall of the carriage to gain my attention. I glanced up, my eyes turning to the window. The city was as magnificent as I had heard of before. Even from afar, its buildings displayed their wonder and size with might. I could barely contain myself as the carriage entered the city, making its way to a central plaza of some kind before coming to a halt. “This is your stop.” The old man said. I stepped out of the carriage, glancing up and around with in awe. The stench of the city’s sewage system hit me like a train, but it was nothing I couldn’t handle. The tall gothic buildings loomed eerily, as if staring down at me with a challenge. Eyes fell on me before continuing on their way, ignoring me like a beggar on the street.

“Thank you.” I said, taking out a pouch of currency, taking out the payment before handing it to the carriage driver, who took it with a shaky hand.

“Have you been here before?” He asked. I shook my head, my eyes glancing my surroundings once more.

“This would be my first time.” I said. “Ah, a foreigner. Then allow me to give you some advice. An old saying from this city.” The man said. He signaled for me to get closer, which I did in order to hear his whispered words. “Fear the blood.” He whispered, and with that, he sat back down and bid me farewell, before riding away and disappearing into the crowd. I did not know what these words could possibly mean.

But by the end of it all, I would never be able to forget them.


	2. Oedon Chapel

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Good Hunter seeks for shelter, and in turn finds a friend.

“Shit shit shit!” I hissed, thunder roaring above as the rain poured down. I was definitely caught off guard by the rain. I arrived here with nothing, after all. No umbrella on me, much less, a place to stay, I ran around looking for momentarily refuge. I found it in the sight of a grand chapel, doors wide open. If that didn’t spell welcoming I didn’t know what did. Thanking whatever gods listened to my prayers, I hurried, running up the stairs and stepping inside. Quickly the warmth of the chapel surrounded me, the strong scent of burning incense covering the air as the only source of light was the chandelier and candles. I took off my cape and shoes, not wanting to bring in the rain and mud with me, setting them to drip on a nearby chair. This place should be alright for the night. I wouldn’t be bothering anyone if I were to sleep here. I was sure I was alone, when suddenly-

“Oh, welcome!!!”

I jumped in surprise, letting out an embarrassing short scream before slipping on my own puddle of water and falling onto my butt.

“Oh, are you alright?!”

“Y-Yeah…” I said, groaning as I sat up, following the source of the voice. Further down the chapel, on one of its elevated platforms, sat a person, hunched over and covered with a red cloak, barely covering their eyes. “Sorry.” I responded, quickly getting to my feet. “I didn’t know there was someone in here…I could leave-“

“Oh no! Stay, if you will. The weather’s only going to get worse as the night goes on.” The chapel dweller said, smiling. “Come, you must be cold. The candles should bring warmth.” I nodded, accepting the hospitality as I walked over to take a seat next to them. “That smell…you’re an outsider, aren’t you?”

“Yup. I am.” I said, taking a seat. Dammit. I was going to get a cold for sure.

“How curious! We rarely receive outsiders in this city.”

“I’ve noticed.” I joked. “Something about the smell…how do you guys do that?”

“I guess it’s something that makes us Yharmarites special.” The Chapel Dweller said, smiling softly.

“Something involving the hunters, yes?” I asked, receiving a nod from the chapel dweller. “I never thought such a profession could exist until I heard of this city. But with such beasts…I guess it is not like there isn’t much of a choice.”

“The Hunters serve the city and the church, and keep us safe by getting rid of the most dangerous of creatures.” The Chapel Dweller said. I nodded and closed my eyes as I allowed myself to enjoy the warmth. Awkward silence followed, before the chapel dweller spoke again.

“Can I ask…where do you come from? I mean, if I can. I’ve never left this city so I’m a tad bit curious, if possible…” The chapel dweller asked. I smiled softly.

“Sure. Though I have to tell you, I come from a pretty boring place compared to this city.” I said, getting myself comfortable as I began to speak. “It’s a small city, surrounded by rural areas filled with farms and hunting grounds…of course, we don’t hunt beasts, I mean, not the same beasts as your hunters do. Deer, boars…so on.” I explained, the Chapel Dweller nodding.

“It sounds like a wonderful place…why come all the way out here?”

I shrugged. “I guess…there was nothing left for me there.”

“Not even your family?”

“Well…I don’t have one…”

“Oh!” The Chapel Dweller looked embarrassed. “I’m so sorry! I shouldn’t have presumed-!”

“No, it’s fine.” I insisted, chuckling as I gave them a small smile. “I just…never really had any. I learned how to survive on the streets, to hunt for my own food and get my way out of trouble. I had heard of this city from travelers. I figured that if I had nothing to hold me down there, that I could come here and attempt to make a new life for myself.” I took a small glance at the storm outside the chapel. “So far it seems I’m not doing a very good job.”

The Chapel Dweller chuckled. “Well, you are always welcomed to come here for refuge, should you seek it.”

“Thanks.” I said. I thought for a moment, before looking back. “I don’t mean to bother you, but I was wondering, do you know if there is somewhere or someone that is looking to hire anyone? I’m not picky about a job.” I asked. The Chapel Dweller hummed.

“Well, actually, the one place is that is always looking for work is the Healing Church.”

“The…Healing Church?”

“Yes. The one responsible for the Hunters. They are very large and have many branches and jobs that require countless of hands to keep the operation within the city working. I’m sure that if you apply, you should be able to find a job among them somewhere.” The Chapel Dweller explained enthusiastically, which only made me smile in anticipation. Now that’s what I’m talking about.

“Sounds like a perfect place to start! Thank you!” I said, smiling wide as I then lay down on the floor, resting my hands behind my head before looking up at the ceiling. “I can’t wait…I’ve been waiting for a new life for so long…it all feels almost like a dream.” The Chapel Dweller smiled.

“Say…think you can come by and visit me again from time to time? People only come around to pray, and aren’t really talkative…it gets a bit lonely.” The Chapel Dweller admitted. I smiled, turning to face them.

“Sure, we’re friends now, after all.”

The Chapel Dweller seemed surprised at my admission, looking at me wide eyed. “Friends?”

“Yeah…do you want to be friends?” I asked, not wanting to make them uncomfortable. They soon smiled and nodded.

“Yes…that would be wonderful.” They said. I nodded, shaking their hand.

“Well then, from tonight on, we’re friends.” I said, resting back on the floor as I allowed myself to close my eyes. Soon my consciousness drifted away, until the sound of the storms and the scent of the incense slowly faded into the dream.


	3. A Hunter's Job

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Good Hunter comes face-to-face with a Hunter, and learn what it is that they hunt.

It was a late delivery. Every other person available had already gone home for the day or were working on much more important stuff. Of course, I didn’t have that much of an important role myself. I followed The Chapel Dweller’s advice and applied a job among the Healing Church. They were more than happy to offer me the job of delivery girl which included any other job that they could fetch for me. I would admit that the Church was kind in offering me this kind of job. It seemed that I was of help to them too, even if small.

“This is the address.” I hummed, reaching into my bag and taking out a small box containing organized blood vials, each labeled for each day for the following week or two. Blood was a common practice. It was almost like Yharnam’s legalized drug. It was used for everything and all. But like all drugs, the risk of addiction was there. So the Church had to be strict on how many doses they should give to who…unless of course, you paid the right price. I knocked on the door.

“Delivery!” I exclaimed. Silence. I knocked again. I couldn’t leave the blood outside for later. It would end up getting snatched by someone else for sure. “Excuse me! You ordered these, yes? It’s your dosage for the following 14 days!” I called again. I could hear some movement.

“…coming…” A voice said just beyond the door. I waited patiently, watching as someone unlocked the door from inside and opened it up. It was a young man…but he looked for the worse. He had bags under his eyes, his skin strangely pale and his hands and part of his face wrapped in bandages.

“Hello sir. I’ve come with your dosage of blood. It should last 14 days, and should be taken one vial per day.” I explained, handing the box to the young man. He took it, mumbling something under his breath before nodding.

“Thank you…I…” The young man said, before suddenly having a git wrenching coughing fit. He coughed so hard his body could barely keep itself up. He dropped the box as he reached for his throat, losing his footing. At this point I reached out, grabbing hold of the young man to keep him from collapsing onto the floor.

“Hey! I got you!” I helped him back on his feet the best I could, the young man wrapping his arms around my shoulders to help himself up, resting his face against my shoulder. “Come on, let’s get you inside.” I insisted, quickly taking him back inside of his home. I found the nearest stable furniture, a sofa, and helped him lie down. “Stay still.” I hurried back outside, to see if any of the blood vials had survived the fall. I picked the few ones that were still somewhat full and not broken or leaking and headed back inside, closing the door behind me. I settled them on the table, taking one out and returning to the young man. “Here. This is going to hurt for a second.” I said, injecting the blood into his thigh. The young man slowly calmed down, breathing heavily, his body twitching still. He was too sick.

“Thank you…” The young man hummed. I nodded, standing up.

“I think its best I leave you be. I’ll go look for a doctor and tell the church to send you more-“ I began, but the feeling of the young man grasping my wrists stopped me on my tracks.

“Don’t leave…” The young man insisted.

“I cannot stay. I’m sorry.” I said, gently attempting for him to let go, but his grip only tightened.

“Don’t leave.”

“Let go.”

“Stay.”

“I cannot stay here-!”

The young man snapped. “I SAID **STAY**!” He roared, his voice suddenly inhuman and ghastly as he looked up at me. I felt panic rise up against my throat as I stared into his eyes…pitch black, with mucus and secretions escaping from them like tears. His teeth were sharpened to an unnatural state as he growled at me. His grip kept tightening until it began to cut the circulation of my hand. The falling bandages reveled patches of uneven fur growing uncontrollably. I became pale. I had heard of this from the church and so many other people and yet I had never witnessed it.

The Scourge. The sickness of the blood. That which curses the city with the same item that blesses it.

“Fear the Blood.” I whispered to myself, remembering the old man’s words. The young man simply stared at me, unmoving. I slowly nodded.

“Ok then.” I said. “I’ll stay with you.” This seemed to calm him down momentarily. I gripped the empty glass vial in my other hand. Out. I had to get out.  I watched the young man rested back, seemingly calmer, but refusing to let go of my arm. I waited. Waited until his eyes become droopy, until he relaxed a little more, until he seemed to be this close to falling asleep. I felt his grip waver, and I went for it.

I slammed the glass vial straight into his face, glass shattering and cutting up both his face and my hands. In a loud screech of pain, he let go of my hand to reach for his injury. I mentally apologized before dashing straight to the door. I tripped as I felt the young man reach for my foot, dragging me down into the floor. First, I tried flight. Now, I would fight. I kicked at the young man’s face as hard as I could, his teeth trying to get a hold of my foot whenever I did. I looked around, eyes landing on a fire iron by the empty fireplace. I looked around some more, barely able to grab a hold of the foot of one of the chairs, before pulling it with all of my force and slamming it against the man, having him finally let go.

I ran to the fireplace, picking up the fire iron before turning back to the launching beast. I used it as a spear with both hands, stabbing the beast straight in the chest as I pushed him back. He no longer seemed bothered by the pain, launching at me and grasping at my clothes, the fire iron going through his back as he stepped closer. I let go of it in order to push the man away, struggling to keep him at a stable length away from me. I was becoming exhausted, fueled only by adrenaline and the will to live. The struggle seemed to go on for eternity when it all came to the end with a loud bang. The man stopped struggling, blood escaping from his lips as another bang followed, this time blood exploding from his head and all over me. I slowly let go of the man as he slumped onto the floor, body twitching.

I looked up to see…a hunter. He had to be. Armed with a...cane? No, a threaded cane. He wore an elegant attire, all obscured by the metal helm he wore on his head. He stepped closer, stepping onto the young man that wiggled under his footing, before bringing his threaded cane on him, decapitating him on the spot. The man never moved again.

“Are you alright?” The hunter asked. I gasped a bit, looking up at him out of my shock. I could barely form out any words, and simply nodded. The hunter eyed me. “What are you doing in here anyways?”

“I…” I swallowed, shaking my thoughts into order. “I came here to deliver some blood vials to him! He almost collapsed so I brought him in but then he-“

“Turned.” The hunter finished for me, glancing down the corpse. I nodded. “I see…I’ve seen you around before. You’re the outsider doing deliveries for the church now, right?”

“Yes, that would be me.” I added, carefully stepping over the corpse and away from it. “You’re a hunter.”

“That I am.” He said. “The name’s Valtr! Leader of the league!” He said, glancing down the corpse again. “Right. I have to report this to the church for further clean up. Come on, we’ll walk there together…I need your testimony anyways.”

“Right.” I said, glancing back at the corpse and then back at Valtr, who was already heading outside. I quickly followed him down the cobblestone street.

“You handled yourself pretty well. Ever thought of being a Hunter?”

“I’ve never really considered it.”

"Hm. I think you should think about it. You managed to survive that encounter. I sense you have some talent in you. If you ever change your mind, you can always join the league." Valtr said cheerfully. I couldn't think of any words to speak, instead, I simply nodded as I followed quietly. 


	4. The Sickly Huntsman

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Good Hunter befriends a friendly ex-huntsman. His name is Gilbert.

“Gilbert!” I called, standing by the building’s window as I stood by a few stacked boxes of supplies. “Gilbert, are you awake? I’ve brought you the supplies.” I called again. There was silence, before I received a response in the shape of a familiar cough.

“Come right in,” Gilbert said, a cough following his words soon after. “The key is where it always is.” I knelt down, reaching in between the fenced area underneath the window as I felt around the cobblestones. I was quick to find the loose stone, pulling it back to then reach into the space and pull out a spare key to the home. I opened the door, and quickly picked up the boxes of supplies and stepped inside, closing the door behind me with my foot.

“Sorry if I woke you.” I spoke, walking up to the wheelchair bound man who simply smiled back. Gilbert was sick. Whatever his affliction was, not even the holy blood could heal him, leaving him in a sickly state where he couldn’t even step outside of his home anymore. One of I’s tasks in her deliveries was to deliver Gilbert’s supplies twice a month, seeing that he could not go outside to get them himself. I felt sympathy for the sickly man, and in these small interactions, sought out his friendship out of pity. Though by now, pity had turned into genuine concern.

“It is fine,” Gilbert said, smiling softly. “Thank you for bringing the supplies again. I know it’s a long way to bring them here.”

“It’s no problem.” I said, smiling as I began to unpack and organized the supplies. Food, cleaning supplies, water, and everything else that one would need for basic living. I had been delivering to Gilbert for two months now, and not counting all of the other visits I would give independently, the two had formed a simple yet happy friendship, one that both cherished, seeing their similar circumstances of loneliness.

“You have gotten used to the city, yes?” Gilbert asked.

“Yeah. I still get lost from time to time…but I think I’m beginning to recognize the paths…I think.” I hummed, earning a soft chuckle from Gilbert.

“I know how you feel. The first time I came to this city I wouldn’t dare to leave my home without someone coming with me in fear I would lose my way.” Gilbert said, smiling before letting out a soft cough.

“Yeah. Not to mentioned that some of the people aren’t as kind as they seem to be.” I said, before smiling and rising her hand with a fist in a mocking matter, before hissing out the word ‘outsider!’, imitating one of the many Yharmanrites that cursed her existence. The gesture made Gilbert burst out into laughter, that slowly turned into a coughing fit. “Hey, breathe now.” I said, quickly hurrying to Gilbert and rubbing his back softly. Gilbert nodded, his cough slowly fading.

“I…I am fine…thank you.” Gilbert said. I glanced at him for a little longer, before reaching into the box again and taking out a large suitcase from inside.

“Your blood injections.” I said, opening the suitcase to make sure that all of the blood vails were there. Enough to last Gilbert for a month until the next delivery, not that it did much to ease his illness. I paused, before picking one of them up and turning to Gilbert. “May I?”

“You don’t have to.”

“It’s no burden, Gilbert.” I assured, before holding out the blood vial. “Now this is going to pinch a little.” I warned, to which Gilbert nodded. I didn’t hesitate, quickly deciding on a spot on his thigh and stabbing the needle right into it, gaining a grunt from Gilbert. I watched as the blood was injected into his system, and only pulled out once I was sure that all of it had gone in. Gilbert mumbled under his breath, gently rubbing his thigh before sighing.

“Thanks. Whether I’ll ever admit it, my aim might not be as good as it used to be.” Gilbert chuckled. I settled the empty blood vial in the suitcase, and gently closed it up.

“I don’t understand why it cannot cure you.” I spoke up. “The blood is meant to heal all illness. Why can it not heal you?”

Gilbert hummed, resting his head back. “Maybe I’m just not meant to be healed.”

“It isn’t very fair.”

Gilbert chuckled. “Life isn’t fair.” He paused before frowning. “Maybe it’s karma. Justice to make up for what I have done in my days with the church.”

“What did you do, Gilbert?” I asked, curiosity gleaming in her eyes. “I always ask but…” Gilbert pursed his lips, thinking for a moment before shaking his head.

“Maybe another day.” He said. I sighed.

“Well, I tried.” With that, I rested back against the sofa, sitting next to where Gilbert sat. “The night of the hunt is in a few months from now, isn’t it?”

“Yes.” Gilbert said. “It would be your first night of the hunt, yes?”

“Yeah.” I shrugged. “Though I don’t think I’ll participate…unless the Church demands me to.”

“What will you do then?”

I paused in thought, before smiling. “Well, how about I spend it here with you?” I suggested, much to Gilbert’s surprise. “I mean, if you don’t want to, it’s fine…but we can spend the night doing something other than listening to the city go insane for the night. I’ll even bring cards for us to play with.” Gilbert chuckled, shaking his head with a smile. What a stubborn youth, he thought, yet he would not deny that the sound and thought of it sounded lovely. Better than any other night of the hunt he had ever experienced before.

“You know? I think I’ll take you up on that offer.”


	5. The Hunter of Hunters

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Good Hunter meets a particular Hunter...who hunts Hunters.

The hall was filled with whispers and excitement mixed with fear. People ran down the stairs to the main hall of the building as others called their friends over, all to witness what the members had brought in. I watched from the balcony above the main hall as they pulled in the body on a stretcher. It was bloody and covered in wounds from a fight, blood dripping onto the floor wherever he was rolled into, the expression of the man’s last moments still frozen on his face. The most noticeable thing of all was the stench that he carried. It wasn’t of decay; the body had barely been dead for half an hour or so. It was the stench of the beasts, of the sickness that the Hunters fought against, and risked to become sick of themselves. Even with the stench entering the hall, the whispers continued.

“He was a hunter, wasn’t he?”

“Poor man. May he rest in peace.”

“Better now than before he could have harmed anyone, if you ask me…”

I narrowed my eyes, watching as everyone waited for anyone of higher ranking to show up and decide what to do with the body and its possessions. I felt a partial fire at the pit of my stomach. Just how they treated the man after death…it was unnatural, and inhumane, as if they had just dragged in an actual beast. My expression must’ve given myself away, because before I knew it, a figure in black garb stepped up beside me.

“He wasn’t human any longer.” She spoke. I glanced up, slightly surprised by the doctor’s mask and feather attire she wore. She stood out, giving off this eerie aura of her that made me want to shrink away. The sharp blades holstered by her hips still tainted with blood. For whatever reason, I decided to continue despite my better judgement.

“He was human once, though.” I said, glancing down. “He Hunted for this city, for these people, to treat him like an actual beast…it doesn’t seem right.”

“It would be because he had long since stopped being human. By the time of his death, he was closer to a beast than anything else. The most humane thing was to put him down.”

“Like a rabid dog?”

“Well…not all come down so peacefully.”

I frowned. “Do all Hunters face the same end?”

“Not all.” She admitted. “Just…those whose wills were weakened just enough for them to be overcome by the scourge. The sickness is like an animal. The moment you lower your guard, it will strike, and by the time you realize it, your body is not yours any longer.” She explained. I paused, turning to think of my experience from before, and I nodded in agreement. To see firsthand of what the sickness is capable of…it was hard to admit.

“You’re an outsider, yes?” She asked. I looked up.

“Did you smell that on me?”

“No…I figured because you haven’t told me I smelled like an outsider yet.”

My eyes glistened, standing up straight to face her. “You’re an outsider too?” She nodded.

“My name is Eileen.” She said, offering her gloved hand for a handshake. I shook it eagerly.

“Tabitha.” I said. “I was told outsiders were rare in this city…what brought you here?”

“I guess the same as most. A new chance at a new life. I was made an offer, and I took it, and now I am here.” She explained. I glanced at her weapons.

“You’re a hunter then?”

“Not quite.” She said, turning to me. “An assassin.”

“A-Assassin?!” I gasped, almost losing my balance. “Like, you get paid to kill people?”

She chuckled, obviously amused. “Not like you think I do. I’m an assassin for the church.”

“For the church…then if you don’t hunt beasts…what do you hunt?”

Eileen paused, before looking down at the body below. “Hunters.”

I stared, jaw dropped. “You kill Hunters?” I asked, barely a whisper.

“Not on a whim.” She explained. “My job is to eliminate hunters that have become a danger to themselves and those around them. To eliminate a beast is one thing. To eliminate a skilled hunter turned beastly is another, to which is where I come in to help.” I lowered my gaze. So that’s why.

“I see.” I hummed, watching as a higher-ranking member of the church finally showed up and instructed members with instructions of what to do, before wheeling the body away. “Sounds like a tough job…I mean…you get to know them, don’t you?”

“Yes. I do.” She said. “But it gives me more reason to do it. To see them go from those who I knew to these…beasts. To give them the peace of death, from someone they know rather than a stranger…it is the least that they deserve.”

“Oh.” I swallowed. Shit. Now I felt like a dick. “I’m sorry.” I admitted.

“Nonsense.” She admitted, gently patting my head. “To be honest, you’re the first one to ask me…most members avoid me like the scourge.”

“I don’t blame them. I mean, with that mask and those blades? If I saw you walking down the hall I’d be running for the hills too.” This somehow managed the best response, making her laugh.

“I never thought of it that way.” She said. She shook her cape, turning to walk away. “Thank you for the conversation…I must admit it has been a while since I spoke to anyone so…freely.”

“Well, I’m new around here, so if you ever feel like talking, I’ll be around.” I said. For a moment, I swore I could see Eileen’s eyes beyond the glass of her mask.

“Thank you.” She said, bowing her head. “I must go now…until next time.” She said, quickly hurrying away before disappearing down the hall. I barely noticed the single crow that followed her, leaving a single loose feather behind.


	6. The Healing Church

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Good Hunter becomes personally involved with the Healing Church, and learns their value, and danger, first hand.

There was much to learn about the Healing Church, and every day I learned more. For example, the Hunters were the foot soldiers of the Church, the icon of the church, highly praised and valued by everyone. Of course, why wouldn’t they? They risked their lives to get rid of the beasts that plagued the city and its surroundings. Deadly and brave. Another thing I learned was that the nuns of the Healing church were almost like saints themselves, groomed up and protected as their blood was precious and used to give legitimacy to the church. They were innocent little things, I thought. They didn’t know of the hardships, or of violence, and refrained themselves from such. They went as far as refusing to speak to anyone that wasn’t directly involved with the church. Too innocent and spoiled I thought, but it was none of my business to go on and about. They had their right to be frightful of the outside of the church, as I would end up learning.

A nun by the name of Adella had gone missing. She had yet to return by sundown, sending a wave of panic among the branch of the church responsible for them. They were precious vessels of blood, and as precious as they were, they responded accordingly. Hunters and other members were sent out to search for her while on their nightly routines. I volunteered as well, being sent out to make sure no nook or cranny was overlooked. Even with my previous experiences with the beasts still haunting me, it gave me even more reason to go on to help. She had no idea how to fight to begin with. I could only imagine how terrified she must be…if she was even still alive.

Using a torch as my light, I traversed down the narrow alleyways, calling for her name. I asked for her in houses, who claimed to never had seen her, sending me further away from the city to its nearby forests. It would be by luck that something caught my eye just before I turned to leave. A piece of cloth, ripped as it hung by the spike of a fence, down a path leading to the forests beyond the city walls. It was black, and silk to the touch. Could it belong to Adella? Hell if I knew. Yet, it was all I had to go on. I hurried down the path, careful with my torch as I scurried down the overgrown path.

“Adella?!” I asked, screaming into the dark. “Adella?!” I stopped as I came upon a recently cleared path. Footprints freshly made on the mud. There was a shoe sticking out of the brush. “Shit, Adella!” I call, running as I follow up the path. The further I went, the more gravestones began to show, the signs of a long and old cemetery. I reached to the top of a hill, only stopped by a worn-out fence and countless of tombstones standing in the way. There, I saw it. Down among the tombstones and around a large, dead tree, people held torches as they walked back and forth, muttering at each other. Right in the middle, sitting against the tree, a terrified Adella, sobbing and shaking like a leaf in the wind. “Fuck.” I whispered.

I was about to turn, to call for help, when Adella’s scream kept me from leaving. The figures pulled on her, screaming something about how they would finally be healed with her blood, sharp knifes at hand. Shit. Fuck. There wouldn’t be enough time. Not to go, look for help, and return to hope an unharmed nun, much less alive. “God dammit.” I looked around, finding a rusty sickle sticking out from one of the graves. I pulled on it, taking it in my free hand. Guess this was happening now. I ran off the path, down the hill as fast as I could, not hesitating as I rushed right in. “HEY ASSHOLES!” I screamed, before throwing my torch straight at one of them. I got lucky, one of the figures holding Adella turning just in time as the torch landed right on his face, burning it up. The figure screamed, reaching to his face as he fell back in pain. While they were distracted, I dashed across, quickly standing between Adella and the enemies. I looked back, giving Adella a soft smile. “Don’t worry, Adella. We’ll get you out of here.” I said, though I didn’t know if I believed that myself. I turned back to the figures, who slowly turned to Adella, and upon seeing me, glared and growled, baring their weapons and fists. I could do this. Right?

_…Right?_

They attacked. I blocked with the sickle, pushing one of them away before rolling out of the way, bringing their attention away from Adella. I rushed to the third figure, who was barely getting up before I drove the sickle right into its skull and took the knife away from it with my free hand, hurrying up the nearest hill. As they reached for me I slashed at them with the sickle. I kicked one lose gravestone, sending it flying downwards as it hit one of them, sending them falling back with a thud. I took this chance and dashed to the single figure, slamming the sickle down as they blocked with their hammer.

“Run, Adella!” I screamed. She didn’t hesitate, taking off and disappearing into the dark. I backed away as the second figure stood back up, slamming down its own sickle down on me. It barely caught my leg. The two figures attacked at the same time, forcing me to dodge and block what I could with a rusty sickle and a meager knife. As I backed away, I slipped on the mud, falling back against a gravestone. I rolled out of the upcoming hammer, which smashed the gravestone into pieces. I crawled for dear life between the figures, scrambling to get away as one of them slammed their sickle into my leg, pulling me back to them. I screamed in pain, kicking the figure in the face as I ran, sickle still impaled in my leg. I struggled, my leg giving up on me as I slipped and fell again, crawling in between the gravestones to use as cover. I could hear them scream as they lost me in the dark of it all.

“THE NUN IS GOOONE!” One of them screeched. The other huffed as their footsteps came closer.

“No matter…we will drink…this one’s blood instead…” The other said. Suddenly the footsteps came to a stop. Before I could question my next move, the hammer came flying down against a gravestone. The stone protected me from any major damage, but the impact alone sent me flying back, hitting the nearby gravestones hard as my bones cracked at the landing. I groaned, pain filling my body as I could barely gasp for air. As the figures approached, I used all of my strength to rise the weapons, only to have the sickle wielding bastard stab its sickle right into my hand, stabbing it straight against the ground below.

“Stay still…we need you…alive…” It insisted, hissing against my ear. They took the knife away from me as the other one held me down with all of their strength. This was it. I was going to die, bleeding out in this stinking forest on this stinking graveyard and no one would even bother to pick up my dead body they would just leave it there-

I saw the figure mutter something like a prayer as it began to cut open the leg of my pants, revealing skin. It didn’t hesitate to cut open, ignoring my screams of pain. I felt as the figure licked the pouring blood off my leg, the tongue unnaturally cold.

“The blood…so sweet…!!!” He hissed. Oh fuck. Holy shit. Oh fuck. So, this was it. Farewell, everything else I’ve ever done to reach this point. I closed my eyes, deciding to try to zone out for the last moments of my life, anticipating the next cut. The last thing I expected as the loud sound of a gunshot. Following it, the head of the cutting figure exploded into pieces, blood and brain matter splattering everywhere. The second figure roared, looking up for the perpetrator before an axe cut right into the middle of its head, slicing right through with no difficulty. The axe pulled back, bringing the body with it as it collapsed beneath. I couldn’t help it any longer, feeling the bile rise up my throat and escape my lips, emptying my stomach contents right below where I lay. As I finished I felt footsteps creeping towards me, causing my body to tense up.

“You did pretty well.” A voice spoke. I slowly turned to see, only to recognize the garments of the church, and the weapon the tall figure wielded.

“A…Hunter…?” I asked, my body shaking.

The Hunter nodded, reaching down and picking me up with no difficulty. “Adella told me you risked your life for her…pretty brave for a delivery girl.” He joked. I groaned, shaking my head.

“Oh god please this be a dream.” I hummed, feeling my head spin.

“This is no dream. Don’t worry, I’ll carry you back to the clinic myself.” He said. I could barely thank him, as soon I was overcome by nausea, and soon, only darkness as I blacked out.


	7. All is Well in Yharnam

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Good Hunter wakes up in a clinic, and ends up learning more of the inhabitants of Yharnam.

When I came to be, the first thing I saw was the high wooden ceilings above me.  Simple chandeliers hung by chains as the diagonal windows allowed sunlight to shine into the room. I was lying in a fresh bed, washed up and stripped of my usual clothes, redressed in white clinic garments. It wasn’t until I attempted to move that I was reminded of my injuries, pain jolting across my body, halting any movements of mine to a stop.

“Fuck.” I hissed, though I wasn’t alone, as I ended up receiving a response.

“Watch that mouth of yours!” A voice hissed. I blinked, turning my head to follow the voice, only to see an elderly woman resting on the bed next to mine. I could already tell that this was going to a very bitter son of a-

“Sorry.” I said, grunting as I attempted to sit up again, to no avail. “Um…where am I? I mean…what is this place?”

“You lost your head, have you? You don’t even know where you are!” Another voice answered me. I slowly turned to look at the other side of my bed to see an elderly, skeptical man resting on a bed. Oh god another one-

“I just woke up. I don’t know where this is.” I insisted, only to be cut short by the old lady again.

“Of course you don’t! You’re an outsider! Your stench is unbearable.” The old woman hissed.

“Can’t trust an outsider.” The old man grumbled.

“Can’t trust you either.” The old woman added.

“What did you say, you old hag?!”

“You heard me, you piece of expired milk!”

I could feel my eyes twitched as I sighed. Oh god this was going to be a long day-!

“You’re awake!” A new voice spoke, dragging my attention away from the bickering elderly. It was a young woman in a nurse uniform, walking towards me with a warm smile. “How are you feeling?”

“In pain.” I began. “But alive, at least…much better than before.”

“Do you remember what happened?”

“I…joined the search for Adella and I encountered some pricks…I tried to fight them but most of it is a blur. I do remember the pain though.” I paused, looking up at her. “How did I even get here? What is this place?”

“Oh I do apologize! My name is Iosefka, and this is my clinic. Father Gascoigne brought you in. Apparently, you managed to fight off some people with a sickle and a wooden shield or something like that.” She said, walking over to the curtain and pulling it across to give me some privacy from my rowdy neighbors. I nodded.

“Right…that guy…hey, is the nun ok?”

“Yes. She came out of it terrified, but alright. Just a few scratches and cuts.”

“That’s good.” I sighed, allowing myself to relax.

“Your injuries aren’t that severe, thankfully. Just a few more blood treatments and you should be healthy enough to be dismissed.” She said. “But for now, rest, alright?” I nodded, not thinking twice to take it upon the offer and quickly falling asleep.

 

...

I was finally discharged a few days later, and I had to admit, I felt better than ever. I still ached, that was a given, but the way the blood treatments worked compared to so many other medical treatments…it was almost like a miracle. The blood helped the body seal up wounds and regenerate the healing of the bones faster than by any other means. No wonder people sought after it. It was a literal miracle drug.

“If there are any lingering pains after a week, do come back, alright?” Iosefka asked. I nodded in response.

“Thank you so much, Iosefka.”

“No problem.” She said. Her attention was then turned to the two elderly, who even though were also discharged, were still bickering. She sighed. “Those two again…” She hummed. I looked over, raising an eyebrow before looking back at Iosefka.

“I could make sure that they reach their homes in one peace, if you want.” I asked. Iosefka looked up at me.

“You would? But you just got out.”

I shrugged. “I don’t have to turn into work until tomorrow. Might as well, right?” I asked. Iosefka smiled.

“Thank you so much.”

“No problem. They can’t possibly be that much trouble.”

 

...

I was wrong. I was terribly, terribly wrong. It was like watching over two bickering children…but worse. The old lady was a stubborn, and had obviously seen some shit in her lifetime, and refused to allow anything or anyone to get in her way. The old man was skeptical of everything and refused to trust anyone but himself, only bringing even more chaos whenever they fought. The entire way home I hoped that I wouldn’t have to be the one to explain to the nearest authorities why there were two elderly people fist fighting in the middle of Yhanram.

“So um, your house is around here?” I asked, standing in between the two as we walked.

“Yeah! Just down there!” The elderly lady said. As we walked down the stairs to cross a stretch of houses, we were all surprised by the loud barking of dogs. Not just dogs. Hunting dogs. The ones trained to murder whatever they managed to get in their jaws. They were all in cages, one stacked up against the other, barking wildly as we walked by. By this, the elderly woman did seem concerned, which was understandable.

“Don’t worry. They’re locked up. They can’t get out so easily.” I said, though the old woman didn’t seem convinced.

“Says you. If any of them get out, I’m leaving you to them as bait!” She said. I nodded.

“…good to know.” I sighed. We crossed a small bridge, and just beyond it we reached her home, to which she entered rather quickly before waving us away. She didn’t even hesitate to slam the door at our faces, not like I expected anything else. I turned to leave and escort the old man to his own place, only pausing to take a glance at the dogs in the cages.

“What’s wrong? Never seen a dog before?” The old man hissed.

“Not that.” I answered. “Just…are they always so rabid? Aren’t they afraid that they’re going to turn on them, or hurt someone else?” I asked.

“They’re for the hunt. What else is there for them to do but hunt?” The old man scowled.

“Do you participate in the hunt?”

“Nah! I’m too old for that crap.” He said, shaking his head. “Will you?”

“I doubt it. I don’t want to get involved in something so…ghastly.” I said, earning another scowl from the old man.

“Weak outsiders.” He said. I simply nodded along. It took a while, but I finally managed to get him home among one of the many streets of the labyrinth city of Yharnam. “This is it.” He said, unlocking the door.

“I better get going then. Have a good night, sir.” I said, only to get the door slammed to my face. I expected nothing less.

“I’m surprised he even let you escort him this far. Usually he just shrugs everyone off!” A new voice said. I turned to find the source of the voice. Across the door of the old man, stood a beautiful young woman. She wore a crimson dress, standing in her home’s doorway as she offered me a smile. I rubbed the back of my neck.

“I was expecting for him to trip him all the way here, to be honest.” I said, earning a chuckle from the young woman.

“It’s nice to see him actually come out of his shell for once. He rarely comes out of that house of his, if at all.” She said, looking over at the window. “He doesn’t even let me help.”

“His loss.” I said. The woman glanced at me again.

“You’re an outsider…are you possibly the outsider that saved the nun from the Healing Church?”

“You…heard of that?” I asked, before shrugging and crossing my arms. “Well, yup. That’s me. I’m the one who went and fought two dudes with…a sickle.” The woman chuckled.

“I have to admit on your bravery. Any other person would’ve run for the hills.”

“Well, I am an outsider. So I guess I’m not like other people after all.” The woman nodded.

“Indeed.” She walked to take a closer look at me. “I didn’t expect you to be so young, though.”

“Is that a compliment or…?”

“Maybe.” He smiled. “Would you like some tea or coffee, by the way? I just finished making myself some sweets.”

“That sounds amazing.” I said, smiling. “Oh. I never got your name.” I asked. The woman took my hand as she led me to her house.

“My name is Arianna.” She said. “Arianna, the woman of pleasure.”

“Oh.” I said. It took me at least a minute before it actually sunk in, my eyes widening and my cheeks flushing as pink as my hair. “OH-!”

And so the door closed behind us.


	8. The Executioners of the Church

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Good Hunter meets a certain executioner while trying to sleep.

Cathedral Ward might as well have been a resemblance of a stronghold. It was gated, guarded by only the best of the healing church as the whole district served as a base of operations. Such people didn’t mind you as long as you didn’t pose a threat. I personally kept my distance from them, sleeping under the stars on one of the many roofs or exterior towers. At least until I could earn enough to get my own place for once. It was another calm, clear sky night. I was the verge of falling asleep when I heard him.

“Remain wary of the frailty of men. Their wills are weak, minds young.

Were it not for fear, death would go unlamented.

Seek the old blood…”

I opened my eyes, sitting up and looking around for the source of the voice. I followed it, walking across the roof carefully before finding it. It was a young man in regal looking garbs, kneeling down, praying in front of a statue just at the side of the cathedral. The most notable feature I could tell was his blonde hair, standing out in the dim lighting of the candles that surrounded the statue. The man prayed before pausing, and just as suddenly snapped his head up to look straight at me, making me jump back in surprise. He saw me. _How the fuck-?_

“Why hello there.” He said cheerfully. That was the most cheerful I’ve ever seen anyone be in this city. “What are you doing all the way up there?” Well he already saw me, no point in hiding and hope he would forget. I looked down at him once more, taking note of his stunning green eyes.

“Oh, you know…” I hummed. “Sleeping.” Darn, I sounded dumb, didn’t I?

“On the roof?”

“Yeah. At least, until I get a place of my own.” I said, by this point moving the wooden ladder and setting it against the wall to climb down to meet him. He watched me as I did, being wary that I didn’t trip or fall to my death apparently.

“That smell…you’re an outsider.” He said, his smile never wavering as his eyes seemed to glisten in recognition. "Could you be the outsider that saved the nun?"

"That would be me." I said, giving a small dramatic bow as I glanced at his uniform.

“Yes…well, yes and no. My name is Alfred. I am part of the Executioners, a branch of the church dedicated to exterminate Vile Bloods.” He explained. Right. Vile Bloods. The one thing I don’t know about.

“So, you’re a hunter?”

“A specialized Hunter, I guess. I started out as a Hunter, and became an Executioner to fight Vile Bloods.”

“Of course! Vile Bloods…What are Vile Bloods?"

Alfred chuckled. "I like to believe they are creatures worsts than beasts. They are...cursed creatures who chose to threaten the purity of the church's healing blood by tainting themselves with forbidden blood." He explained. I walked over to him, taking a seat on the steps leading to the shrine where he prayed.

"I never guessed some blood could be forbidden." I said.

"Their goal is to contaminate the good name and purpose of the healing blood. They truly are terrible creatures." Alfred said, smiling softly. "However, they no longer threaten us as much as they did before."

"How come?"

"Because of my master, of course!" Alfred said. "Master Logarious. He led us into Cainhurst to get rid of all of the remaining Vile Bloods. And yet..." He frowned. "He remained behind for the sake of getting rid of the very last one, the Queen of the Vile Bloods. He became a martyr for the sake of saving the rest of the order, and the world."

"I see...I'm so sorry."

Alfred shook his head. "My mission is not done, however. I still look for Cainhurst, in order to avenge master Logarious...the difficulty is finding it."

"Well," I began. "If I ever happen to find Cainhurst, you'll be the first person to know." I said, patting his shoulder. Alfred looked at me, before letting out a softhearted laugh.

"I thank you for that." Alfred said. "I would need all the help I can get."

"No worries!" I said, resting back against the steps. "Man, now I feel bad. I was about to share my stories with you, but I can't compete against you and your vile blood hunts." I joked.

"Now now, surely you have some stories that are exciting, with or without the blood."

"Maybe." I thought, before smirking, and looking over at Alfred. "Ok, how about I tell you the story of that one time I stole a horse carriage." Alfred raised an eyebrow. "...with the bride of the groom in it."

"Oh now this I have to hear."

I could already tell we were going to get along more than well.


	9. To Call Mine

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> While enjoying a day with the locals of Yharnam, the Hunter comes to realize this might be home after all.

“I think the mouth should go here!”

“You can’t use that for a mouth! We need it for the nose!”

The young daughters of lady Viola and Father Gascoigne spoke, playfully bickering as they did their attempts to build a snowman. Snow did not come often in this city, and the rare times that it did most of its inhabitants hid inside their homes for warmth. The children, however, were another story, seeking out the chances for fun regardless of the cold.

How I ended up stuck playing with them? Well I was asked to deliver something to Viola, then the girls asked if I could help, and one thing led to another…and now I’m here creating an unstable snowman out of stuff we found out the ground.

“We’re missing something.” The oldest daughter hummed at their creation. It had eyes and a mouth made out of pebbles, and an old scarf that Viola had found for the girls to use.

“I think it needs a hat.” The youngest said.

“You’re right. I think a hat should finish it right up.” I said.

“Maybe we can use your hood?” The oldest daughter asked, pointing at my hooded cape. I felt it.

“I dunno. It might not fit. The snowman’s kind of…big headed.” I said, earning giggles from the youngest. Before we could brainstorm what to use as a hat, someone walked up to the residence, Viola receiving them happily.

“Henryk!” Viola chimed, the girls gasping at the name, turning to face the older looking Hunter walk up to them.

“Grandad!” They squealed, running up to the hunter, who received them with open arms.

“Girls! You’ve been behaving, right?” He asked, the girls nodding as they kissed his cheeks. I recognized the hunter. His bright, yellow attire was hard to forget. Not to mention he was Father Gascoigne’s partner on the hunt. I simply waved softly as the oldest gasped in realization.

“Grandad! Can we use your hat?” She asked.

“My hat?” Henryk asked.

“For the snowman!” The youngest asked, pointing at the somewhat stable snowman. Henryk seemed to think about it before sighing.

“Alright.” He said. The girls cheered, thanking him before taking his hat away and placing it on the snowman’s head, their artwork finished.

“We’re done!” I said, clapping with the girls. The oldest seemed to come to a realization, smiling wildly.

“What’s wrong?” The youngest one asked.

“The snowman,” The oldest one began. “With the hat, and the black pebbles.” She began to giggle. “He looks just like grandad!” The youngest looked at the snowman, then back at Henryk, then back at the snowman, and was soon also laughing loudly. I had to take a double take before realizing it myself.

Holy shit

I could barely contain my own laughter, clasping my hands over my mouth, trying not to look at Henryk while I laughed. Henryk seemed beyond amused.

“Haha, very funny.” Henryk said.

“I don’t know, it looks so much like you, I can barely tell them apart.” Gascoigne added as he stepped out of the house. Henryk rolled his eyes.

“Maybe they should do a snowman based on you.” Henryk suggested. “That way we both-!” Henryk began, though he was interrupted by a snowball hitting him straight on the face, knocking his dark shades out of place. Gascoigne turned to look at us, and all three of us were quick to blame the other for it.

“It seems we have our own little beasts to catch!” Gascoigne said, his tone mischievous as Henryk wiped the nose off his face.

“Definitely.” He said, fixing his shades. The two girls squealed, scrambling on their feet as they began to run off, Henryk and Gascoigne right behind them. When I saw my chance I gently stood up on my feet, wiping chunks of snow off my clothes.

“You seem to be enjoying your stay here.” Viola hummed. I nodded.

“Yeah. This city used to scare me when I first came here but…” I smiled to myself. “I think I’m beginning to see this city as mine, too.”

“That’s good.” Viola said, smiling softly. “This city isn’t kind to outsiders. But I find the outsiders to be the ones to bring out the best of this city. Maybe one day you’ll do the same.”

“Maybe.” I said, not knowing what else to say. Me, doing something great? I was born into nothing. Raised into nothing. Could I do something great one day? ...maybe.

Just maybe.


	10. Paleblood

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Hunter gets sick.

It has always been there. A tinge in the shape of coughs and pains here and there. Nothing that could have ever bothered me for too long, despite many doctors back home telling me that they had nothing they could use to cure me. I just figured I could continue living this way…until last month. All of a sudden all of my symptoms worsened. My coughing became unbearable, to the point I began to cough blood. My bones began to ache, and my skin began to pail and burn with uncontrollable fevers. I figured I could just go to Iosefka and drink some blood and would be cured…well, it turned out it would end up being more complicated than that.

“A transfusion?” I asked, staring at Iosefka as she looked down at a clipboard with papers.

“Yes. This disease has been within your body since birth. The injuries or the use of blood since your attack must’ve triggered something for these symptoms to worsen. The only way to flush it out is through a blood transfusion.” Iosefka explained. I groaned. Well shit.

“Well, if there’s no other option.” I said, looking up at Iosefka. “When can we do it?”

“Well I will have to contact a blood minister to do it. We will try and schedule it before the night of the hunt.”

“Can’t you do it?”

“Sadly, such complicated procedures that require so much blood need to be done by an approved blood minister.” Iosefka said, smiling as she rested her hand on my shoulder. “It’s alright. I’ll contact one and we’ll get you healed up in no time.” Iosefka assured, making me smile.

“I trust you with my life, Iosefka.” I said, a smile on my lips. Iosefka nodded, and proceeded to prepare everything before sending me on my way while she looked for a blood minister. In a diary, safe to her own, she wrote down in ink, as if she had to remind herself of it all.

_“We have found a paleblood. Now all we can do is wait, for the paleblood to transcend the hunt.”_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Stay tuned for the sequel to this, which hopefully will be longer and more detailed. Hope you guys enjoy.

**Author's Note:**

> Prompt credit goes to eleas07.


End file.
